Intractable Souls : Book 1 of the Bound for Ireland Series (72 page)

All the way home, he stresses over how he’s
going to approach the subject with her. He has the notion to just
tell her straight out that he’ll no longer accept it, but he knows
her too well to know that if he deals with it using his dominate
side she will likely bolt, leaving his ass and ruining any chance
of them being together. No. It’s too risky; he needs to find a way
to convince her that she doesn’t want this agreement either. A way
that makes her think that stopping this nonsense is her idea.

Think O’Connell. How are you going to do
that?

Rachel! Of course! He dials the phone and
Scott answers. “Hey, what are you up to?”

“Working on my honey do list.” He laughs.
”Do you want to come rescue me?“

“Not a chance. I need to talk to your
wife.”

“Oh, that can’t be good. Are you sure? He
chuckles while he walks the phone to where Rachel is sitting.

“Yeah, I need to ask her a question.”
Ethan’s tone turns serious and Scott gives Rachel a concerned look
when he hands her the phone. “It’s Ethan.”

“Hey! What’s up? Don’t tell me that you miss
my cooking?”

“Umm… of course I do!” He lies and she knows
it. Looking at Scott, she wrinkles her nose in a playful
gesture.

“Listen, Rachel, I need to talk to you about
Olivia.” He can’t hide the concern in his voice and immediately she
starts to worry.

“Is everything ok?”

“Yes… No.” He growls in frustration. “Yes
Olivia is fine, but I need your advice on something.”

Rachel shrugs when Scott gives her a
questioning look. “Ok, well, why don’t you come by the house. We’re
just going to eat dinner.”

“Thanks Rach, I’m just coming up the
street.”

The door is unlocked so he lets himself in.
Rachel is standing in the kitchen and heads toward him for a hug.
Sensing the tension in his shoulders, she gives him a little extra
squeeze in acknowledgement and frowns at him. “Let me get you a
beer. Dinner is almost ready.”

The basement door swings open and Scott
joins them, popping the cap off of one of the beers in his hand, he
passes it to him. While the boys set the table, Rachel serves up
pot roast with roasted potatoes and carrots. Ladling the gravy into
the gravy boat, she makes a face at Scott.

“Lumpy again?” There is a huge smile on his
face.

“Yes.” She says in disappointment. Ethan
takes the plates over to the table while Scott joins Rachel at the
stove. Taking the ladle out of her hand, he scoops one big spoonful
into the boat. “That’s ok, sweetheart. I like your lumps.” As he
takes it to the table, he stops and gives her a kiss on the
nose.

When dinner is finished Scott soaks up the
last bit of lumpy gravy with a buttered dinner roll and turns to
Ethan. “So, out with it. There’s obviously trouble in paradise.”
Popping the last bit of the bun into his mouth, he licks his
fingers.

Rachel shakes her head. “Nice table manners,
honey.”

“That’s why you married me, isn’t it
baby?”

“Yes, I do believe you’re right… I was
attracted to your table manners and your huge…um... errr…
appetite.” She grins from ear to ear as she turns to look at Ethan.
“So what did you want to talk about?”

“Olivia. I just don’t understand her.”

Scott laughs. “She’s a woman. You’re not
supposed to understand her.” He ducks quickly to avoid the cork out
of the wine bottle that Rachel has just tossed at his head.

Ethan rolls his eyes. “And why are they
always throwing shit? Seems I’m always dodging projectiles aimed at
my head!”

“Tell me about it. I feel bad for you.
Olivia, understandably has one hell of an arm. I’m lucky this
one...” He nods in Rachel’s direction. “Throws like a girl.”

His comment about Olivia piques Ethan’s
curiosity but Rachel interrupts before he has a chance to inquire
further. “Did she do something in particular that’s upsetting you?
Help me out here.”

“Did she tell you about last night?

“No, I was out of the office all day.”

“She joined us for dinner last night.”

Scott Immediately interrupts. “That
bitch!”

“Ok, you need to go and wash the dishes or
fix something before I hurt you.” Rachel is not amused and Scott
knows he had best take her advice. He can’t help but smirk as he
starts to clear the dishes.

“Sorry.” She apologizes on her husband’s
behalf.

“Funny boy, that one.” He looks over at
Scott, who can obviously still hear everything that’s being said.
“As I was saying, Olivia had an anxiety attack after dinner. Passed
out.”

“Oh my God! She told me she hasn’t had one
of those in months.”

“Well there is a lot going on right now and
I guess it caught up with her. She finally told me about Sam.”

Rachel is shocked. “Everything? About Sam?
Are you serious?”

“Well almost everything, I’m sure you can
figure out which part she left out. I didn’t press her about
it.”

“Oh my god Ethan, that’s still HUGE!”

“Well yes, I thought so too at first, but
now I feel like we aren’t really getting anywhere.”

“Why?”

“Because she wants us both to see other
people.”

“What? That’s ridiculous!” Rachel is
appalled at her friend. “What exactly did she say?”

“She agreed that, her and I have been going
on dates and therefore we are logically dating.” He pauses to take
the sip of wine. “Then she tells me that we are not in a ‘committed
relationship’. That we are both free to date other people.”

“OMG! She is NUTS!” Rachel shakes her head.
“It just goes to show you how powerful that kind of abuse is when
it affects someone with her IQ so harshly that she makes such
ridiculous decisions to protect herself. She could be running her
own multimillion dollar company instead of fixing everybody’s mess
at Dunn and McLellan, but NOOOO! He fucked up her head, but
good.“

Ethan looks at her with a questioning brow
and Rachel explains. “Oh, you don’t know?” She shakes her head. “Of
course you don’t know. It’s not as if she would tell you something
like that. Olivia’s IQ is 139.” She sees Ethan trying to work out
what the means in his head and then his eyebrows shoot up in
surprise.

“I know right?” Rachel says.” She was
considering a partnership offer at one of the largest Greater
Toronto It Support firms and after this thing with Sam… she turned
it down, she wouldn’t even meet with them to discuss it
further.”

“I’m going to kill that bastard when I get
my hands on him.” He means to keep his promise.

“You’re going have to wait your turn. So,
what happened that has made her panic enough to insist that you see
other people?”

“My instincts tell me that she’s been
feeling a little insecure since the client dinner. Understandably
so.”

“Yes, that’s exactly what it is. And I heard
about that, what the hell were you thinking?”

“I wasn’t obviously. Now, if there is a
pretty girl anywhere we go, she points her out to me and tells me
that it’s ok for me to ask her out. That we agreed to see other
people.”

“Oh Ethan, you don’t believe that she wants
that do you?”

“Well, it’s bloody hard not to when she
keeps saying it over and over. I want to believe that she has
feelings for me.”

Rachel notices the frustration in his voice.
“Ethan, she has feelings for you. Strong ones. I have never seen
her this happy and you are the reason.”

”I want to believe it and I don’t want to
see anybody else.“

“Trust me, if you went out on a date with
another girl she would freak!”

Ethan looks up from his wine glass.

“That would sure teach her a lesson wouldn’t
it?” Rachel grins from ear to ear.

“Are you suggesting that I actually take
someone else out on a date? He’s shocked at the suggestion at first
and then after giving it more thought it sounds like a good
solution to his problem.

“Well, it’s one way to force her to admit
how she feels about you. I bet if she finds out that you’ve asked
someone out on a date she’ll immediately insist on a committed
relationship.”

The sounds of clanging pots and pans in the
kitchen stops instantly and Scott sticks his head around the
corner. “Would you like my opinion?”

“NO!!!” Rachel yells.

“I think it’s a bad idea.” He offers despite
her objection.

Rachel dismisses him. “Just wash the dishes,
honey!”

Ethan ponders the idea for a minute. “That’s
what I’m thinking, if she does get upset then maybe I can convince
her to forget all this nonsense.” Clearly, he has talked himself
into it.

“Bad idea, brother!” Scott chirps from the
kitchen.

Ethan continues ignoring Scott’s advice.
“Right, so who do I ask?”

In amongst the sounds of dishes hitting the
rinse water they faintly hear him grumble under his breath. “Dumb
ass!”

“What about the girl at your office that’s
always throwing herself at you?” Rachel offers. Ethan flashes her a
confused look. “You know… the one with the REALLY big... ummm....
personality!” She uses her hands to gesture enormous breasts as she
says it.

“Ah! The receptionist, Hannah.” He laughs at
Rachel’s description. “I have no idea how to get in touch with her
at home and I don’t think it would be appropriate to ask her out at
the office.” Before either of them can speak again, Scott walks out
of the kitchen with his phone in hand. Clicking open the contact
list, he hits “H” and hands it to Ethan. Instantly Hannah’s name
and number flash up on screen. As he turns to walk away, Rachel
hollers after him. “Excuse me? Why do you have that bimbo’s phone
number?“ Scott smirks and keeps walking. “Sorry I can’t hear you,
dear... I’m washing the dishes and minding my own business.”

Ethan glances over at Rachel, feeling a
little awkward and she snaps at him. “Well? What are you waiting
for? Get the number and then give me the phone.” Ethan takes out
his phone and carefully creates a new contact entry for Hannah,
double-checking the number before he hands the phone to Rachel. She
immediately hits the delete button and then mutters a few not nice
things. Scott walks back into the room drying his hands on a towel
and she looks at him with an unapologetic look on her face. “Oops,
sorry Scott… I accidently erased her number.”

Walking towards her, he takes the phone out
of her hand and leans down to give her a kiss. He loves that his
wife is jealous. When she stands to leave the table, he wraps his
arms around her in a loving embrace. Annoyed at him, she tries to
push him away but he refuses to let her go. Surrendering into a
long sensual kiss, she knows she can’t stay mad at him.

“Well, I think that’s my signal to leave.”
Ethan laughs as he heads for the front door.

Arriving home, he turns on the TV and sits
on the couch, thinking long and hard, before he reaches into his
pocket and takes out his phone. This somehow doesn’t feel like the
right thing to do. This could turn out to be more of an explosion
than a realigning of souls. His anxiety level is through the roof
as he takes a deep breath and dials the phone.

“Hello?” The voice on the other side
answers.

“Hi, is this Hannah?”

She would recognize his voice anywhere. “Mr.
O’Connell?” A nervous excitement fills her.

He closes his eyes and takes a deep breath.
“We’re not at the office, Hannah. Please call me Ethan.”

“Ok Ethan. What’s up?”

“I was wondering if you wanted to have
dinner with me tomorrow night at my restaurant, maybe stay for a
little dancing?”

“I’d really like that!“ She jumps up and
down in celebration trying not to show her excitement in her
tone.

“Great! I’ll pick you up around eight? If
that’s ok?”

“Actually, Ethan I have a late class
tomorrow so would it be ok if I just met you there?“

“Of course, that would be fine.” Ethan is
surprised that Hannah is continuing her education. “What class are
you taking?” He asks, curiosity overtaking him.

“Zumba.” She says feeling very proud.

Ethan almost chuckles, of course it’s a
Zumba class. What else did he think she was taking?

“That’s brilliant.” Suddenly he feels
awkward. “Well, I’ll see you tomorrow then. Oh, and Hannah… we
should be discreet around the office, yeah? Don’t mention it to
anyone.”

“I won’t. I’m looking forward to it Mr…
Ethan. Good night.”

He sends Rachel a quick confirmation by
text.

From Ethan: All done. Meeting Hannah at the
bar tomorrow at 8

Guilty feelings start to overwhelm him now
and watching TV doesn’t make it go away. When the phone rings, it
makes him jump. “Yes.” He forgets that he’s not at work.

“Hi!”

“Olivia, hey.” Olivia’s voice sounds so
sweet and the feelings of guilt twist in his gut like a knife. He
has missed her today. Is it appropriate to tell her how much he
misses her when he’s about to tell her that he’s going on a date
with another girl? He decides it’s a bad idea.

They chat for a few brief moments about the
events of their day and for the first time ever she senses a
coolness in him. She feels something shift between them as the
conversation starts to slow and become awkward. Then she says it. A
hundred times, he has waited for her to reciprocate this feeling
and she has always held back.

“Ethan… I miss you tonight. I thought you
might find a reason to stop by.”

Why tonight? Of all nights for her to admit
it.

She grows nervous with the pause in the
conversation, her women’s intuition confirming that something is
wrong. “Ethan? Is everything ok?

Fuck! Fuck! Fuck! “Yes, I’m just tired. I’m
planning on going to bed early tonight.”

He’s definitely hiding something. “Oh, of
course. I’m sorry I’m keeping you up, you must be exhausted.” She
feels a little off balance. There’s another long silence proving
that something definitely isn’t right.